Smoker&#39;s appliance.



F. F.. ENTER. SMDKERS' APPLIANCE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 13 I915.

Patented May 16, 1916.

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 f1 Mn 1 1 J 1 1 1.1 1 11 1. .1111 11 1 11 w 1 11 1 FRED F.ENTER, OF CUYAHOGA FALLS, OHIO.

SMOKERS APPLIANCE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May to, 1916.

Application filed March 13, 1915. Serial No. 14,272.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED F. ENTER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cuyahoga Falls, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Smokers Appliances,of which the following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings.

This invention comprehends certain new and useful improvements insmokers appliances, and relates particularly to improvements in boxesfor holding tobacco.

Every user of smoking tobacco knows that with the ordinary or every-daybox of the type now in vogue, the tobacco is tightly packed in. the boxwhen the same is purchased, and in order to get any tobacco out it isnecessary to open the lid and loosen the tobacco with ones fingers. Thisis not only inconvenient, particularly when the supply is nearlyexhausted, owing to the fact that it is hard for the finger to reachdown into the bottom portion of the box, but is really attended withdanger, as the edge of the body portion of the box may be rough or havesome out or jagged part that is liable to cut or otherwise injure thesmokers fingers and thereby produce a cut or scratch which is not onlyuncomfortable but liable to lead to serious results.

With a knowledge of these conditions, my invention has for its primaryobject a simple and efficient construction of tobacco box, whereby itwill be unnecessary to insert the fingers into the box for the purposeof loosening the tobacco, means being provided whereby the tobacco maybe agitated or loosened whenever it is desired to pour out a portionthereof to fill the pipe or make the cigarette. And the invention alsoaims to generally improve devices of this class so as to render themmore useful and commercially desirable.

With these and other objects in view, as

will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the inventionconsists in certain constructions, arrangements and combinations of theparts that I shall hereinafter more fully describe and claim.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to thefollowing description and accompanying drawing, in which,

Figure l is a top plan view of the box shown in Fig. 2. Fig, 2 is alongitudinal section of my improved tobacco box, and Fig. 3 is a sectionon the line 38 of Fig. 2.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and desig nated in all of the views of the accompanyingdrawing by like reference characters.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates the body portion of atobacco box of the type usually employed at the present time, designedto fit into the pocket of the smoker, and 2 designates the lid. In thepresent embodiment of the invention, the lid 2 is illustrated as a sliplid and is not hinged, although it is to be understood that theinvention is not limited in this regard. The lid 2 is formed with amovable section 8 which, when moved to an opened position, will permitthe contents of the box to readily flow out. In the preferred form ofthe invention now being described and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, this section 3 is shown as hinged, although here also it is tobe understood that it is within the purview of my invention to make thesection otherwise. To facilitate the opening of the section 3, it isformed on one side with a thumbnail catch or lip 4, as clearly shown inthe drawing.

Mounted within the box and extending longitudinally thereof is a shaftor spindle 5, the same being square or otherwise noncircular in crosssection. This shaft is journaled at its lower end in a step bearing 6 orthe like within the bottom of the box, and it is formed near its upperend with a round bearing 7 journaled in the lid 2. Above the lid 2 theshaft 5 is formed on its upper extremity with a preferably knurled ormilled nut or finger piece 8 whereby the shaft may be easily manipulatedand turned back and forth on its longitudinal axis. An agitator 9 ismounted upon the shaft 5, and for that purpose is formed at its middlewith an opening substantially conforming to the cross-sectional contourof the shaft, it being understood that the agitator is mounted for afree longitudinal movement on the shaft and is designed to rest upon thetop of the contents of the box. The agitator 9 is, in the presentinstance, in the form of a bar provided on its lower edge or surfacewith any desired number and shape of teeth 10.

From the foregoing description in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, the operation of my improved tobacco box will be apparent. Inthe practical use of the device, when it is desired to pour out aportion of the contents of the box, it is only necessary to grasp theknurled nut 8 and work it back and forth a few times to loosen thetobacco in contact with the teeth of the agitator 9, to then open thelid by swinging the hinged section 8 thereof outwardly, and to pour outas much as is needed. It is, of

' course, understood that the agitator slides loosely on the squareshaft 5 so that it will always lie on top of the tobacco and keep onfollowing down as tobacco is used up.

While the accompanying drawing illustrates what I believe to be thepreferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that theinvention is not limited thereto but that various changes may be made inthe construction, arrangements and proportions of the parts withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention as defined in the appendedclaims.

WVhat is claimed, is:

1. A box of the character described comprising a body portion and a lid,a shaft journaled in the bottom of the body portion and in the lid, theshaft being square in cross section and provided at its upper end with afinger piece above the lid, and an agitator consisting of an elongatedbar formed with a square opening by which it is loosely mounted on theshaft Within the box whereby upon a partial rotary movement of the shaftthe ends of the agitator will be'moved laterally between the walls ofthe body and teeth formed on the lower face of the agitator as and forthe purpose set forth.

2. A device of the class described including a box, a square shaftmounted for a partial rotary movement therein, an elongated bar upon theshaft whereby upon a partial rotary movement of said shaft the bar willbe moved laterally between the side walls of the box and teeth formed onthe FRED F. ENTER.

pur-

Witnesses:

J. N. FAILoR, GEO. W. MERZ.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). C.

